The present invention relates to sign and sign stand devices for signs and display devices of all kinds. The invention more particularly relates to means for securely holding roll-up and flexible signs in place without such signs becoming detached from their supporting structures or tipping over in high winds.
Numerous sign stands and poster display devices known today are used for displaying various signs and messages for conveying advertisements and information to the public. On construction sites, for example, such signs are typically positioned on sign standards that are either anchored in the ground, held in place by sandbags or other heavy objects, or spring-mounted on bases which allow them to bend or deflect generally along a predetermined plane, without tipping over, under high wind forces. Spring-mounted sign stands which can be used for this purpose are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,646,696; 3,662,482; 4,033,536; 4,265,040; and 4,288,053; as well as in copending patent applications, Ser. Nos. 274,400, filed June 17, 1981; 442,378, filed Nov. 17, 1982; 442,418, filed Nov. 17, 1982; and 442,419, filed Nov. 17, 1982. All of said copending applications are assigned to the same assignee as the invention herein, and their disclosures are hereby incorporated by reference herein. Such deflectable sign stands, although unanchored and lightweight, prevent tipping over or sliding of the units in virtually all weather and wind conditions.
Signs commonly used at construction sites are square, rectangular or diamond in shape, flat in configuration, made of metal or wood, and have pertinent informative or warning messages or symbols on them. The wood and metal signs are bulky and heavy, causing numerous problems in storage, transportation and mounting, and to overcome these problems, flexible roll-up type sign panels are being used more and more frequently today. These flexible sign panels are also typically square, rectangular or diamond-shaped signs but are made out of a heavy-duty flexible and foldable material, such as vinyl, or reinforced cloth or plastic. Such sign panels are lighter and thus easier to handle than metal or wood sign panels and are typically adapted to be rolled-up or folded-up for ease of transportation and storage.
The flexible or roll-up sign panels have one disadvantage when used with unanchored resiliently-mounted sign stands. Although signs including such sign panels work very satisfactorily when the wind forces are directed generally transversely to the plane of the sign panel, the flexible sign panels have a tendency to make the unanchored sign stands unstable when the wind forces are exerted in directions generally parallel to the plane of the sign panel.
The above-discussed roll-up sign panels typically have one or more relatively rigid cross-braces or support members to hold them in their fully extended configurations, with mounting means for mounting the sign panels to the support members and brackets or other means on sign stands for holding the sign assemblies on their stands. The cross-braces or supporting members are typically elongated members made of wood, fiberglass or a similar strong material, and are connected to one another in the middle so that they can be rotated together to a generally aligned position for storage. Examples of brackets and other apparatus used to hold roll-up signs on their sign stands are found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,288,053; as well as in the above-mentioned copending patent applications, which are assigned to the same assignee as the invention herein. Some of the brackets and sign panel mounting means presently in use with such roll-up signs, however, are often difficult and time-consuming to operate, are difficult to accurately position on the standard, and may not prevent the sign assembly from becoming detached from its stand under severe weather conditions. Furthermore, some of the flexible sign panels do not have adequate means for preventing them from becoming detached from their support members. For emergency use, it is often necessary that signs bearing warnings or emergency instructions be adapted to be set up and made operational with as little difficulty and as quickly as possible.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved sign and sign stand device having improved means for mounting the sign panel on its support structure and improved means for holding and securing the sign assembly on an upright or pole-type frame member of the sign stand. It is a further object to provide an improved sign bracket which overcomes the potential detachment and instability problems previously experienced with existing flexible roll-up signs in high wind conditions. A further object is to provide a sign that has the particular capability of quick and easy mounting or attachment of such roll-up or other flexible-type sign panels on their support members and on the frame member of the sign stand. A still further object is to provide a sign stand which securely holds a roll-up type sign in place regardless of orientation of the sign stand, regardless of wind conditions and regardless of wind direction.
In accordance with the present invention, a sign assembly includes a generally planar sign panel, which is preferably flexible and capable of being rolled-up for storage, and at least one support member for supporting the sign panel in its generally planar configuration. Mounting means is provided for releasably mounting or attaching the sign panel to the support member, including at least one preferably flexible strap member fixedly secured to the sign panel and releasable fastener means for releasably attaching the strap member to the support member.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the releasable fastener means includes a two-piece snap-type fastener assembly having a male portion that is adapted to be interlockingly, but releasably, engaged to a female portion. One of such portions of the snap-type fastener is secured to the strap member and the other portion is secured to the associated support member. The fastener portions are preferably mutually engaged between the strap and support members on an opposite side of the support member from the sign panel. By such a construction, the snap-type fastener is subjected primarily to a generally shear-type loading when the sign panel is subjected to wind forces in a general direction tending to separate the sign panel from the support member. The snap-type fastener thus resists separation and effectively retains the sign panel on its support member during such wind loads.
The releasable fastener means in an alternate embodiment includes a two-piece hook-and-loop fastener assembly, such as is known in the art, having a hook fastener portion and a loop fastener portion that are releasably engagable with one another. One of said hook-and-loop fastener portions is secured to the strap member, and the other is secured to the support member. The hook-and-loop fastener portions are preferably mutually engaged between the strap and support members on an opposite side of the support member from the sign panel. Like the preferred snap-type fastener discussed above, the hook-and-loop fastener assembly is subjected primarily to shear loading when the sign panel is subjected to wind forces in a direction tending to separate the sign panel from the support member. The hook-and-loop fastener thereby resists separation and effectively retains the sign panel on its support member during such wind loads.
It is also possible to include two hook-and-loop fasteners at one or more of the corners of the sign. This insures that the sign will not detach from the support members regardless of the severity of the wind and weather conditions. Other hook-and-loop fasteners can be positioned in the central area of the sign for fastening around one or more of the support members. These additional fasteners will keep the sign from billowing out from the support members in high winds.
In another preferred form of the invention, a sign stand preferably has an upstanding frame member that is resiliently deflectable relative to a ground-engaging base along a predetermined plane in response to wind forces directed generally transverse to the plane of the sign panel. The mechanisms for attaching the sign assembly to the sign stand in the various embodiments of invention are preferably adapted to permit or cause the sign assembly to pivot or swing laterally about a generally vertial axis in response to side-wind forces directed generally parallel to the plane of the sign panel. Such pivotal movement of the sign assembly to be oriented generally transverse to the sign permits or causes the frame member to deflect generally along the above-mentioned predetermined plane, thereby preventing the sign stand from tipping over. The various alternate sign assembly attachment mechanisms of the present invention are also particularly adapted to prevent the sign assembly from becoming detached from the frame member during such lateral pivotal movement of the sign. Also, the various alternate sign stands of the present invention have the particular capability of quick and easy attachment of a sign assembly including a flexible sign, on the frame member of the sign stand.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.